Ready to try baking yeast bread? Check out my Ten Tips For Better Bread, and then try my Farmhouse White, an easy basic white sandwich bread recipe that's perfect for beginning bread bakers and can be adapted in all sorts of ways.

When it comes to minimum input and maximum output in the kitchen, beer bread is about as good as it gets. Five minutes of work reward you with a heavenly aroma wafting through the house and a warm, crusty loaf in under an hour.

I once made beer bread for a cooking class called Cozy Breads & Soups, and even after watching me make it, several people could still hardly believe how easy it was to put together—and how good it tasted.

Beer bread is delicious warm or at room temperature and goes well with just about anything. You can even use it to make sandwiches. A thick slice of leftover beer bread popped in the toaster and slathered with butter is a wonderful thing. It also freezes beautifully. (If you're not planning to serve your beer bread right away, keep in mind that the flavor of any herbs you add may intensify over time.)

There are endless flavor variations of beer bread possible; simply add whatever you desire to the basic dry mix. Try experimenting with different beers and ales, too. A darker beer will give you a deeper flavor. You can even make it with non-alcoholic beer.

Many people first taste beer bread that was made from a mix. Then they start wondering if they can make their own beer bread from scratch. The answer is yes! In about five minutes.

In fact, once you realize just how few ingredients there are in basic beer bread—flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, & beer—it's difficult to believe that anyone would have the nerve to market beer bread mix. And yet I've seen packages of it selling for up to eight dollars.

That said, why not make up a few batches of your own signature homemade beer bread mix to give as gifts? Just tuck a zipper bag of the dry mix into a colorful tin (or even a brown paper bag tied with a festive ribbon) and voila!—a charming, scrumptious gift suitable for practically any occasion. Include baking instructions written or printed out on a simple card; all they have to do is stir a 12-ounce bottle of beer into the mix, spread it in a pan, and pop it in the oven.

And if the recipient of your Beer Bread Kit is a very dear friend, you might even consider sharing the recipe for the mix. Or you can just keep it to yourself for a while. It's not like it'll be any trouble to make them some more.

Instructions:
Heat the oven to 375°. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, dill, and cheddar in a large mixing bowl. Slowly stir in the beer and mix just until combined. The batter will be thick.

Spread in a greased 8-inch loaf pan, brush with the egg glaze if desired, and bake until golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool 10 more minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Flavor Variations (also see the comments section at the end of this post for lots more beer bread flavor inspiration):

152 comments:

Hey FG,I was wondering if some or all of the flour could be substituted with whole wheat, maybe whole wheat pastry? I'm trying to eat more whole grains and this would be wonderful if it could be adapted that way...thanks for sharing!

wow! I must try this. I sell Tastefully Simple and love our beer bread. I can't wait to see how they taste side by side. I love to make things from scratch but it's nice to have the mix as well. THanks for sharing.

Hi Jeff,Gosh I never thought of giving MY llamas beer bread. They are definitely going to be spoiled.

Hi Rachel,I am going to try making some beer bread with at least half whole wheat flour today, and I will post the results later. I'm interested to see how it comes out. Thanks for taking the time to write.

Hi Ilva-lucullian delights,Oh you must try making it. And I'd love to hear about your results.

Hi Leigh,It really is amazing how easy it is to make something so yummy. As I said above, I'm going to go mix up a batch with whole wheat flour right now.

Hi Amy,While you're making your beer bread (which I hope to hear about, please), you could take an extra two minutes and make up some mix for your sister. : )

Hi Christina,Welcome to the farm! I'd love to hear how your beer bread comes out--and how it compares to Tastefully Simple's. Thanks for taking the time to write.

Hi Vanessa,And it tastes good with beer, too. : )

Hi Laurie,It really doesn't get any easier than this. I'm looking forward to giving some of the mix as gifts myself. I can't believe I didn't think of it before.

Tastefully simple's is really bland because it has no seasoning in it. I hosted a party, and 90% of that catalog is you paying $8 for a seasoning packet that you could make at home for a few cents. Only hosted a part to help a friend start her business, but it definitely wasn't worth it.

I read this post at 4:45pm, stopped at the store at 5:30pm for dill, and the bread was in the oven at 6pm! Yum! We ate it with Mushroom Barley soup and it was delish. Thanks for the recipe. It was indeed super easy.

Hi Sarah,Welcome to the farm! Wow. Talk about inspiring someone to get baking. What a great comment. I'm so glad you enjoyed the bread. Mmmmm. . .and mushroom barley soup sounds wonderful. Thanks for taking the time to write--and for the smile. : )

Heya :) Any idea in all your bread making sorcery why my first attempt at the beer bread would turn out flavorful and rich but, well, heavy enough to hurt someone? It's really quite delicious, particularly hopsy because I used a rich dark beer. But it's also VERY moist and heavy. Do you think it's too little baking time ... or too much cheese ... or something else?

I don't remember how I stumbled across Farmgirl Fare, several months ago, but you should know: looking at your photos and reading your entries, nearly daily, brings me such light and joy and excitement. I love to cook and am also planning some sabbatical time from my work to explore some work that is more physical and connected to the land -- so you see you're perfect!

Hi Barbara,The only problem with writing things down is that you then have to remember where you wrote it down. I have finally trained myself to write down almost everything. My life is now a chaotic mess of little snippets of papers and clutter! : )

Hi Lisa,Welcome to the comments section of the farm! Thanks so much for your kind words and for taking the time to write. My apologies for not getting back to you sooner.

As far as your deadly weapon beer bread (ack!), the first thing that immediately comes to my mind is the baking powder. Stale baking powder can do very sad, inexplicable things to baked goods (this comes from someone who was once up at 4am baking yet another batch of scones for a morning presentation because they just kept coming out 'wrong'--a fresh container of baking powder and poof! perfect scones.).

If the package is open, it may be bad even it the 'use by' date hasn't passed, especially if you live in a humid climate. If you don't use it too often, it's worth it to spend a couple of dollars on new baking powder every couple of months. I always use Rumford brand. I have good luck with it (when it isn't stale! : ) and it doesn't contain aluminum like other brands do.

Yes, you also might have put in too much cheese. And if you made the whole wheat version, the dough would be even heavier.

Too much baking time might also be the problem. You want to take it out as soon as that toothpick tester comes out clean.

Hi Socalfoodie,I think rosemary and cheddar would be very nice. We make lamb burgers with rosemary mixed in, and melt sharp cheddar on top and they are YUM. We also spread dijon mustard on the buns. Hmmmm. Might be interesting to put a tablespoon or so of dijon into the beer bread batter. I'd love to hear if you try making some. : )

Thanks! I suspect you're right, although I'd never considered stale baking powder before. Sometime in the last few weeks, my fairly fresh canister hopped on out of the cupboard, skipped down the stairs as it hummed a little bluegrass, and set off on its first Manhattan adventure. I think it borrowed my sunglasses for the journey as well. I have no idea where the two of them are these days.

So I borrowed some baking powder from my neighbors downstairs, but they don't bake often ... could be it's quite old by now!

Hi there -- I wanted to pass along the good news :) With brand spankin' new baking powder, and no cheese, I made a new loaf. And it was perfect! Not enough weight to even stun someone temporarily, I don't think.

I made the whole wheat version, and it's delicious. I've already had two scrumptious cold turkey/cranberry compute/spinach sandwiches, and a couple pieces of toast with butter and fig jam. Mmm. I think I need to make another loaf tomorrow.

So thanks for the suggestion! I watched it rise in the oven -- really, I went over every couple of minutes and sighed with delight and though, "Gosh, chemistry is so cool."

Hi Lisa,That is good news! Delicious sounding news, too. . . your sandwiches and toast descriptions have my tummy rumbling. LOL, I won't even admit how much time I spend crouched down in front of the oven watching in amazement at the things happening (or not happening) in there. : )

Thanks for taking the time to write and let me know your second beer bread attempt was a howling success. Don't you just love how easy it is to throw together?

Hey Farmgirl-Happened on your blog in a search for a recipe for the 8 buck beer bread mix. If you haven't tried it, you should - it is marvelous. Perhaps someone of your experience could duplicate it???

Beyond easy, even easier!Just wanted to post that I made your beer bread recipe and it was, as stated, beyond easy. I just wanted to add my trick for those who have even less time. I made mine with draft cider (woodchuck amber) and added only the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. What made it quicker was that I put it in a muffin pan. Bake time is only about 25 minutes that way. Sprayed pan with butter flavored canola spray and added a light mixture of melted butter and sugar to the top about 5 minutes before they were done. Talk about delicious. Perfect balance of crust and bread and there's no cutting to do. Thought I'd share that thought. Thanks again for the extremely simple recipe. My thoughts and energy to you and your family. I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Meshelame

hi, I just made your beer bread and it was sooo good. i used the herb and garlic mix. . I am nooo baker by any means. . but I may become a beer bread maker! Thanks for sharing your recipe(s). . . love reading about your farm. .

Recently found out I had to stop drinking due to new medication. What to do with the last beer in the fridge? What an easy, yummy recipe! I was so surprised by its moistness. Finding dill in Florida is an exercise in frustration, so I subbed half rosemary, half marjoram, and you have a new fan in my husband. Thanks!

Hello,I got a beer bread recipe from my aunt about 10 yrs ago, after falling in love with it at some family gathering.I lost it in a fire that took our home about 3 yrs ago. So i figured the web would be a good place to start.Your web site is so cute! Her version was more like dessert... it had 1/2 cp or maybe even 1 cp ( it was sweet) sugar and she used 1 stick of unsalted butter, she greased the pan with it then melted 1/4 stick ( i think) added it to the batter. Then baked it 350 fo 45 mins. then poured the rest of stick of melted butter on top and baked for 15 more mins. I am going to try it again ... modfied by bad memory. I'll write back when i get it right!

Let me first explain that my cooking/baking skills are extremely limited. So for me to try this recipe...it really says something. I baked the bread last night and it turned out really well. I used the Italian seasoning. I may substitute the Romano for cheddar, however, as it had a slightly bitter aftertaste. Although that might be attributed to the India Pale Ale I used...maybe I will try a sweeter beer? Thanks for the recipe!

I did the garlic & herbs version and I loooooooooove it! My boyfriend likes it a lot, my son too, it's a hit! I did it with whole wheat flour only (I added extra water), it was perfect! Thanks for the recipe!

This beer bread is amazing, I made it yesterday and I love how fast it is to make. I run a mountain lodge in Guatemala and am always looking for easy and fast but tasty recipes for my guests. Today I am actually going to try the beer bread recipe without cheese but with a bit of water instead. Hopefully it works out as well as the last batch did!!!Love your site by the way, very inspiring....my husband and I have left North America for Guatemala and now farm avocados and have a lodge and we love every minute of it!! Thanks again!Briana

I just made this recipe up today after reading about it in the holiday and gift idea posting.

Well, it wasn't really your recipe I made since I used metric cup measures and 345ml bottle of beer. I also discovered there was no cheese in the fridge, and no fresh dill so I chucked in a tablespoon of dried rosemary and a couple of teaspoons of thyme. Oh, and the baking soda was a year or so old. Despite all this, it turned out wonderfully! You just can't go wrong with this recipe.

I found your recipe yesterday and promptly went home and made a batch of mushroom barley soup (with leftover turkey bits) and a loaf of whole wheat with asiago & shallots (with Negra Modelo beer). WOW WOW WOW!

It's chilly up here (MI) so the house was all warm and cozy divine with soup and bread smells. (And a slice of BB toast this morning has kept me going for HOURS!)

I am for sure making "Beer Bread Kits" for Xmas prezzies this year! Thanks so much for the inspiration! xoxoxo

I made your beer bread recipe today. I loved it as did my Husband and Children. The only thing I really didn't care for is a somewhat bitter after taste. I am sure it was the beer I used. (Fosters) Is there a peticular beer you or anyone else would reccomend? email me at Thepinklimosine@aol.com I love your Blog!

FG Susan, I tried again the next night with a different beer. (Keystone) The results were Amazing. My husband ate the whole loaf! I posted a picture of it on my blog. www.ourlittlespotinnm.blogspot.com I am ever so thankful for the great recipe! THANKS

I own a small food business that makes dip mixes, dessert mixes, and microwave pork rinds. Reading your recipes about beer bread prompted me to try some. I'm so impressed that I have decided to starting making the mixes to sell.

I experimented with four different flours and have decided to forget self rising flour, since it didn't rise enough. The regular flour, whole wheat flour and two cups of regular flour with one cup of whole wheat flour all turned out about the same. Very good, but all were slightly flawed with large crevices going down the middle of the top of the crust. Is there any way to have a nice smooth, even crust without all of the crevices and irregularities?

Keep up the good work. Love your blog and devotion to food and nature.

Hi Farm Girl!I stumbled across your beer bread recipe while attempting to determine if the self-rising flour I had mistakenly bought, would work in place of all-purpose. I found this recipe:

"I have a very easy bread recipe for self-rising bread; 3 cups self-rising flour, 2 Tablespoons sugar, one 12 oz can room temperature beer. work into dough place in bread tin and bake for about an hour. it's a crusty bread and so easy to make."

Notice, there's no baking temp, which sent me on the search for a banking temp, and thus I found your site. I figured I'd try your recipe, and assume the salt and baking powder in the self-rising flour would do the trick (and after typing that, and having read some of your responses, I'm pretty sure you'll indicate baking powder as the culprit). However, when I put the dough into the pan, it went in quite sticky like and lumpy, which is exactly the way it came out, at least on the crust. The crust looked awful, lumpy, and like a spoon dropped biscuit, not all nice and smooth like your picture of the bread looked. The inside of the bread was nice though, soft and moist. I could hardly even attempt the tooth-pick test as the crust of the bread was so rock hard.

I've made banana bread many times, which starts out more like cake batter and then ends up looking like your beer bread. So, I'm wondering if my dough wasn't moist enough before putting it into the oven? Perhaps over kneaded dough? This is my first attempt ever at baking anything outside of cookies or my Grandma's banana bread.

My mom used to make beer bread once a week with self-rising flour and whatever was in the pantry..always a surprise. Favorites were sliced olives and cheese, dried fruit, and one with sage, basil, and nutmeg. I tried to duplicate pumpernickle with a dark beer, cocoa, and maybe some dark flour; can't remember what else. Any suggestions? Thanks! Sheila

Awesome. I tried making the bread last weekend, and it was even easier then I expected! And my boyfriend loved it. I can't believe I had never heard of beer bread before. The cheese and dill was great, but I can't wait to try all kinds of variations, and all kinds of beers.

FarmGirl, this bread is delicious. I currently live dorm-style, and everyone on my floor loves it (as do I, of course)! I've only done the basic recipe, but I'm looking forward to trying some of the other ingredients and making it even more yummy!

What I also love is finding your blog. I actually was gifted with lots of beer left over from a wedding reception and wanted a beer bread recipe, and that's how I found you. Thanks be to Google for landing me on your farm!

Hi Everybody!Thank you all for taking the time to write and report on your beer bread baking adventures. I really appreciate it!

Hi Beth,Welcome to the farm (and life with beer bread)! Three cheers for google! : )

Hi Anon,No bother at all. I'm not sure about the oven temperature conversion (I really need to learn those), but when I posted this recipe on A Year In Bread (the joint bread baking blog I'm a part of) it included the metric conversions. You'll find them in my post over there called Susan: Quick Breads - Beer Bread. Hope this helps - and I hope you'll share how your beer bread comes out if you do try making some. Happy baking!

I guess, the conversions were messed up. The bread was beyond crusty - very hard on the outside and a bit soaked with beer on the inside. I used cilantro and garlic and the flavous mingles well with the beer. But it didn't look like your deliciously light bread. :(I'll try tweaking the amounts and give it another shot.

Wow! What an eye opener! Fresh baking powder is the key. I have been wondering what I've been doing wrong. I've been using old baking powder for probably a year. I'm so thankful for your note in the beer bread recipe for using fresh. What success I've had ever since I bought new baking powder! Thanks.

Wow, THANK YOU!!!!Your recipe was discovered on a desperate internet search. We got a keg of very high-quality beer from a local brewery (Darkside Vanilla Porter from Emperian Ales, which happens to be right here in Lincoln, NE.) for a gathering that ended up being rather poorly attended. It would be a criminal waste to let all that beer go down the drain... I also had lots of fruit, honey, cheese, and other goodies left from 3 weekends worth of gatherings that needed to be used...

I wanted to note that I used turbinado (raw) sugar and kosher salt in all of these. Yum. Not everything was local/organic, but it didn't go to waste, and that's important too! You can't freeze beer, but you can freeze bread. Thanks again, each loaf seems to be coming out more amazing than the last... I think I'm out of flour and baking powder, or there'd be more. They're going to a ren faire with me this weekend, if they last that long!

Hello, I just tried my beer bread (from your recipie) and my results taste terrible! We are going to throw it out, it's that bad. Would you please help me figure out where I went wrong? First, I bought a brand new package of baking powder just for this recipie. Second, I used 1 and 1/2 cups wholemeal flour and 1 and 1/2 cups high grade regular flour. Third, I did not use the dill or cheese as I wanted to see what it tasted like on its own so that I could add different flavours next time. My results: the second I added the beer (slowly) I ended up with a sticky, elastic-y lump that seemed very hard to get my spoon thru to stir in what was left of the dry ingredients. After baking, the taste is very doughy, a bad kind of sweet first taste and then a hard acidic aftertaste. The dough barely rose at all, was heavy like a banana bread (though not heavy enough to stun someone, as I read on a previous post), and I don't feel very well after eating it. Note that I am not a baker AT ALL so I must have missed something obvious to you, hopefully? I so wanted to bake my own bread. Sad & disappointed in New Zealand

Hi Rainstarr,My apologies for not getting back to you sooner. I'm so sorry that your first foray into bread baking was such a disappointment. Unfortunately I'm not sure exactly what the problem is, but I have a few guesses:

It could be your flour. Flour varies widely (grind, texture, moisture content, flavor, etc. etc. etc.), and I know that in other countries the flour can be completely different than what we have here in the U.S.

It sounds like there wasn't enough liquid in your dough which is why it was so stiff (though I realize you had no idea just what consistency it should have had). That could very well be the wholemeal flour which absorbs more liquid than white flour. In my whole wheat beer bread recipe I added another 2 ounces of beer (or water). You might even need more than that to get a dough that isn't so heavy and thick.

If you try baking it again, you might consider using all white flour - which also rises better and is lighter than wholegrain flour. (Whole grain yeast breads are notoriously denser and shorter than white breads.)

As for the acidic aftertaste, again I'm not sure what's going on. As you can see in previous comments, a few other people have remarked on an unpleasant flavor which I assume is from either the baking powder or the beer, or a reaction between the two, though I've never personally experienced it. There are so many types of beers - a lighter beer might give you a better flavor.

I recommend a baking powder that does not contain aluminum which might be responsible for a metallic or harsh taste. Many commercial baking powders contain aluminum. I'm not sure what you have in N.Z.

I hope this doesn't turn you off bread baking forever. And if you're hesitant to try beer bread again (though it can be successfully made, as you can see from all of the happy commenters above), I would suggest giving pizza dough a try. When people tell me they want to learn to bake their own yeast bread, I always suggest they start with pizza dough, as it's much more forgiving. Again, I recommend using all white flour, at least to start. Wholegrain pizza crust is totally different than white flour pizza crust.

You'll find my easy pizza dough recipe over at A Year In Bread along with Beth's and Kevin's favorite recipes. Beth's is made overnight in the fridge which can be really handy if you're pressed for time.

Thank you, Farm Girl! I did some searching on the web for other beer bread recipies and found a tip about sifting the flour first, the main interest for me being that it says you can fluff up the flour with a spoon and THEN measure out 1 cup, as opposed to packing it in. As I don't own a sifter, and at this point don't want to have to, this was very helpful. I have tried another loaf with all white flour and the bread is okay, lighter than my last loaf but lacking the layers of flavour that I am guessing only comes from the traditional way of making bread? Your recipie is so easy that I'm still keen to try again, but next time I will make a trip to the health organic shoppe & gather their ingredients! Thx much & I love your site.

I just made the rosemary and feta version tonight, using 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour and 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose. I poured a little bit of melted butter on the top with about 10 minutes left in the baking time. For the beer, I used Big Sky's Moose Drool because I didn't want to overpower the feta and rosemary. Next time I would go with a more strongly-flavored beer, because I can only taste a hint of it. But the bread is DELICIOUS. My fiance has devoured a few pieces already!

I am going to make a sweeter loaf this weekend using a touch more sugar and a bottle of Sam Adams Cherry Wheat Ale.

I have never made bread before in my life and this turned out fantastically--it's so easy and so good! I can't wait to experiment some more with this! Thanks so much!

I just made the plain mix to see what it is like, can't wait to start experimenting now!

I'm from NZ and it worked perfectly, so I don't think our flour or baking powder is problematic. I didn't have any beer so I used a 340ml bottle of Bundaberg's Diet Ginger Beer and it worked a treat - it really tastes bready and yeasty. Yum!

Have you tried it with 4 oz. diced roasted peppers, 4 oz. cubed cheddar cheese, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp freshly minced garlic and throw in a small handful (about 1/3 c.) shredded Mexican cheeses? After the loaf is almost finished baking (about 3 minutes left), sprinkle on another 1/3 c. Mexican cheeses on top to get a toasty, cheesy, crispy crust. It is SO good! Thanks for the recipes! My next one will be a play with chocolate beer and something-something,, I'll be sure to come back with the results!

This is the second year that I'm making your cheddar dill beer bread in celebration of Lughnasadh, the first harvest. In the heat of August, I don't take pleasure in making yeast bread, but this is so simple and delicious!

My favorite beer bread variation (depending on the beer used) is a sweet breakfast bread that adds in cinnamon and sugar and then I cut a little channel through the middle of bread, stuff it with fresh raspberry jam/sauce and back it with sugar on top. Delicious!Also, I've discovered there's not a huge need to waste carbonated beer on this bread. We used almost 2 pitchers worth of left over beer from a keg and still had great results even though it was flat.

I found your recipe with a google search and it was fantastic. My mom always made beer bread when I was younger, but this recipe had such great texture and flavor. Just wanted to say thank you. I subbed chives for the dill since my better half doesn't care for dill. I will make this many more times and look forward to trying your whole wheat recipe as well.

i made this the first time exactly as directed in the recipe, but made the unfortunate choice (as it was the only choice in my fridge) of using victory hop devil beer. the bread, while delightful in texture was so overpoweringly hoppy that my boyfriend and i couldn't get through even one slice.

i'm trying it again with a hefeweizen and subbing an italian/rosemary spice blend for dill with my fingers crossed. i'm sure this batch will be delicious!

Thanks to your illuminating post and my fridge full of beer, I am currently in the process of purchasing a Chicago Metallic loaf pan on Amazon and planning on making beer bread as soon as the package arrives. You are a hero to me!Thank you for a great post and an exciting inroad to homemade bread.

Hiya. I just made this bread with a chocolate stout. I upped the sugar to 1/3 cup, but it still didn't have the chocolatey sweetness I wanted. I mean, it was very good with butter slathered on it, but I wanted it to be delicious all by itself. And I was hoping for more of a tea bread. I will try again, maybe adding some nuts!

A few weeks ago, I posted a comment saying I had just purchased the loaf pan and was prepping to bake some bread, for the first time ever.Well, now that I have baked -- I will NEVER buy bread from the store again! Even the crappy little Miller Lite loaf beat the pants off of Wonder bread and when I used a great beer... wow! It went like lightning.

This was such a great "gateway" loaf. Since I made my first beer loaves, I've moved on to my first, incredibly successful real-yeast bread and I'm getting better everyday. Thank you, again, for your great blog and a fantastic recipe that's really opened my eyes to how delicious and easy homemade bread can be.

Read about your beer bread recipe this morning and tried baking the herb and garlic version. I normally do cakes and cookies which turn out fine. But this is just horrible. Firstly, it would not cook even after 45minutes, had to bake it for a further 3 sets of 10 minutes each (Maybe it was my oven settings?). When the toothpick came out clean, I tried tasting the sides, it felt plasticky. Then I took a slice and was dumbfounded. It looked like a curdled cake mixture (ie damp and clumpy in the centre - baking powder is not yet expired, but I stay in a humid place ...) and then there was the baking powder taste (or was it the taste of Heineken Lager?)As per another blog, had added a beaten egg white to incorporate more air since m ycan of beer was about 11.5 ounce.

Not sure what to do with the loaf. I think I will stick with the cakes and cookies, and perhaps the more normal breads.

I am quite seriously going to have to buy some beer and try this. A friend had recommended beer bread the other day when I was having a hard time getting my yeast bread together (combo of old yeast and a cold kitchen. I tried again the next day by boiling water and putting it on the shelf under the dough in my oven with less trouble, though the final bread spread rather than rose). Anyway, that's how I found your site.

Now, we do have some home brewed brown ale in the house...but I know better than to touch that, tempting though it might be...

I did the garlic/herb bread with Newcastle brown ale, and it turned a great golden color, perfect!

I also wanted to try a sweet version, so I made the mix, but before adding beer (new melguim's trippel) I added brown sugar 1 1/2 tbs, did only 1/2 tbs of granulated sugar, and added 1/3 cup of honey (i heated it up in a warm water 'bath' to make it easier to pour in), mixed, then added the trippel.

I also did the egg wash on both, and on the sweet bread I drizzled a little more honey ontop.

The bread darkened really quickly and almost burned, perhaps it was too much egg eash or the honey ontop? Anywho, I covered it loosely with tin foil and let it finish cooking.

terrific recipe - literally my first attempt at baking bread and this couldn't be any easier. i can't wait to try different beer and flavor combinations, this would be terrific to serve with a brunch. thanks a lot

Jennifer: Honestly, I've achieved great results with beer I would never willingly drink.... lol. After a party at my house, there were Coors Light and Keystone Light cans that had been left behind. They'd been on ice, then got warm. Eww. But I hate wasting anything. Made bread with them with great success. They have virtually NO flavor on their own. Heh. In this case, it was a beautiful thing.

Hi Holly,Thanks for chiming in. What a great way to use up light beer, LOL. ;)

Jennifer,Other than the taste, I'm glad you had success with the recipe and haven't given up. Like Holly said, I would definitely recommend trying a much lighter/milder beer. It doesn't have to actually be 'light' beer—what you want is something less flavorful so it doesn't overpower the bread. See how that turns out and how you like the taste, and then you might want to experiment from there with something a little stronger—or not. Happy baking! :)

I came across this entry about a year or so ago and it was a big hit! My first time making it, I didn't have a loaf pan so I made in muffin form. It came out good! It doesn't need to bake quite as long (about 30 minutes at 350) but it was fun to have mini-breads.

I've tried it with hard cider as well as plain old Bud and it's come out great every time. I've experimented with different herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary, Italian seasoning) and I have yet to find a combination that doesn't come out delicious.

This has become my standby when everyone contributes cookies or whatever, I always volunteer the beer bread!

Just put my first loaf in the oven, and there's lots of anticipation in my house. Being in Texas, we made it with diced jalapenos and a mexican cheese blend. I'll let you know how it turns out. We love your site, but now my husband wants a donkey!

Just wanted to let you know that I Love your recipie!!! It's so easy & comes out perfect every time! My kids were a little wary because i said it had beer in it, but as soon as i told them that the alcohol baked out of it they ate the whole loaf. I have since taught my 14yr old son how easy it is to make so he can make his own for snack.Thanks a ton!

Hi Farmgirl,I have made beer bread befor but from a box mix. I came across your recipes, saved them, but have since found out I have a sensitivity to gluten. Would you please tell me how to make your bread with other flours such as rice or tapioca? Also, I saw that someone made your bread with hard cider with great results. I've stayed away from beer for about 4 weeks because of the wheat so I'd like to try that too. thank you for your recipes and I hope to hear back soon.Debra from upstate NY

Hi Everybody,Thanks for all the comments. I'm thrilled this recipe is so popular and love hearing about all of your different (and delicious sounding!) variations.

Hi Debra,I'm afraid I can't help you - I have no experience with gluten-free baking. We did, however, do a little roundup of gluten-free bread recipes from popular gluten-free bloggers on A Year in Bread a few months back - click here to read it.

As for gluten-free beer bread, I would try doing a google search for 'gluten-free beer bread recipe' and see if anything helpful comes up.

I made the garlic & herb version this evening with minestrone soup...so wonderful!! I greased the pan with butter and topped it with some melted butter as well. Thanks for offering the delicious recipe! You obviously have inspired a lot of folks =)

Oh em gee!! I just made this last night and it is DELICIOUS. Since I'm in college (Graphic design!?!), working, living in my own apartment, things like cooking are the last thing I seem to have time for.. but this was just too easy. I'm about to make 2 more loaves to freeze for later, perhaps with a jalapeno cheddar variation! Just amazing. I'm so glad I stumbled onto your blog - I really love reading it! <3

I made a loaf of this beer bread about a week ago and didn't love my spice combination but found a better use: croutons. Cubing up a slice of beer bread and toasting it on a hot skillet makes instant, homemade croutons with whatever seasoning you'd like! Super easy and a quick way to make your salads a little more exciting. Thanks for the recipe!

Hey there, Just tried this yesterday (garlic and herb), and ran into a few queries:

1. I got an elasticky, slightly sticky, dough, that didn't look like it had enough liquid in it (very hard to stir, and could see some dry flour), so I added a bit more beer, (this is after adding a 375mL bottle, already more than 355mL/12oz)? Must've been about 400mL of liquid all up, is that too much? (And it was still a dough, a fairly wet one, but not a "batter" as described...)

2. Bread tastes wonderful, but it is a very heavy, chewy loaf? Is that how it's meant to be? If not, perhaps could be my baking powder, it's pretty old, or the difference in Aussie / US flour...

Hi JC,Flours definitely do vary, even from bag to bag (and even depending on the weather), so it's quite likely that the flour on your side of the world is different than mine.

It sounds like you need to start with a little less flour, and maybe more beer as well. The batter should definitely be sticky - you shouldn't be able to pick it up and place it in the pan. But you shouldn't be able to pour it in the pan either.

Because beer bread is a quick bread, opposed to a yeast bread, it's going to be heavier. This is a fairly dense loaf, but in a good way. And it shouldn't be all that chewy.

It sounds to me like you need to try again with a brand new container of baking powder. Bad baking powder is almost always the cause of less-than-perfect beer bread.

I just stumbled on this recipe and had to try it, used some coriander and garlic for flavoring, no cheese since we were out and I'm too impatient to wait, and my ultra hoppy homebrew black IPA making the bread dough a dark brown, I hope it's half as good as everyone says, thanks!

This recipe ROCKS! I have tried other beer bread recipes before, but the texture was never quite right. The loaf we enjoyed for dinner tonight was the perfect texture and was delightfully accented with oregano from my eleven year old's herb garden and parmesean cheese. Yummy! I can hardly wait to poke around your blog to find other delicious recipes :) Thank you for sharing!

I'm planning on making this with a brown ale (probably Newcastle). I don't know if I should just go w/ a basic loaf and punch up the sugar a little bit, to bring out the beer's sweetness, or try the rosemary/feta variety -- do you think that would work well with that particular beer, or would you recommend something hoppier?

Oh no avoid hoppy brews, my first try was with an IPA and the hops really don't make for good bread! I've made probably a dozen loaves of this now and the less hoppy brews make better bread in my opinion, a stout for darker bread or wheat beer for anything else is my two "go to" beers for bread.

Hi Elizabeth,I'm afraid I'm not familiar with Newcastle ale, but I know people seem to have the best tasting results with beers that aren't too strong and dark. Of course it's all a matter of taste. Basically you'll just have to do a little experimenting and see what you like. I can pretty much guarantee somebody will be willing to devour every loaf you make! ;)

great post! I adapted a version of this bread for a cheddar dill beer bread I just posted on my own blog at: http://gardenofeatingblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/cheddar-dill-beer-bread-so-easy-you.html (and linked back to your recipe, of course!)

I just pulled out my very first loaf out of the oven, and it is a little dense, but still delicious. (I used Heileman's Old Style beer and added minced garlic and onions.) It took a little longer to bake as well. I did, however, use old baking powder and will be trying again with new BP.

My question is: What would happen if I let the batter "proof" overnight. Should I let it proof in the fridge, or let it set out on the counter?

Tried the beer bread recipe and because like you all I had was 12 oz bottles on hand I did open a second bottle ... just as well as I needed a drop or two more than the amount you suggested ... however it turned out yummy and now it's time to head out to the beer store for some more - ahem - bread-making ingredients. Snowy day here in Ottawa so time for some hearty food! Thanks for the lovely pictures, stories and recipes. cheers, ros

Hi Rob,Hopefully your beer bread kit gift recipients will want to bake theirs up right away, but I would say - if the baking powder is very fresh - that the mix would have a shelf life of at least a month, if it's sealed in an airtight container or zipper bag.

I've never tried proofing the batter overnight, though when I had my little bakery there were certain muffin batters I would make up the night before and store in the fridge - not to proof them, but simply to save time.

If you're going to try it, I would definitely refrigerate the batter, but I'm not sure if it will bake up the next day as nicely as if you'd just mixed it up. If you try it, I hope you'll let us know how it turned out. :)

Hi Rosalind,I'm so glad you had delicious success with this recipe. Thanks for taking the time to come back and let us know. :)

Hi again, (Rosalind here)Thanks to you or someone for suggesting that this bread can be carried as a mix for travelling. We're on holiday and so I brought two batches with us and just had to pick up some beer. Because I was using WW flour (see previous comment) I just bought 473ml tins instead of the 350ml ones which I think are close to the 12 oz. Shared with some post ski guests this afternoon and now I've had to send the link to a few more friends! Congratulations and thank you again!

I have been making my own beer bread for years (due to high cost of package mixes) and it is just too easy! It is so versatile. In the basic mix (no herbs or cheese) I sometimes substitute up to 1/2 of the flour with whole wheat flour and I often add some honey to the mix. I also add ground flax seed. I bake mine in a 9 x 13 pan and then cut into bite-sized cubes for dipping in a vegetable spinach dip.

Hi Erin,I'm not sure if this recipe would work with soda. It would definitely make the bread sweet. I've seen cake recipes that call for soda, so you might give it a try. Otherwise, I know that non-alcoholic beer works well. :)

I make this with bacon (precooked, not too crunchy), scallions, and sharp cheddar. It's a hit everytime, although I'm still working on the best beer to make it with. Excited that someone has tried to make this with hard cider and it worked out since I was wondering if it would.

I made this bread yesterday with chopped chives and grated parmesan, and grated swiss cheese. It is delicious. Thank you so much for this great recipe. I love it because you can really put in whatever you have on hand.

Well I know this was posted some time ago but I was looking for a beer bread recipe and stumbled upon this. MMMMMMmmmmm good, we are enjoying this with beer can chicken tonight. Super easy and fast to whip up a batch of this bread, thanks so much!

Great recipe! I used 1/2 ww four and unbleached, came out great! I bought a good 6 pack (fat tire), since we don't drink beer, and keep it onhand for bread. Delish! Served it with soup, and it was gone in 2 meals!

Hi Nicole,Bread makers are for yeast doughs which need to rise. This beer bread is a quick bread (no yeast), so you just mix it up in a bowl, spread the batter in the pan, and bake. Takes about five minutes and no need for a bread machine. Enjoy!

OK experiment time! Thought I'd try a sweeter version. A local brewery (Barley Days) made a maple infused beer in the spring so ... I added a cup of dried cranberries and ground sugar/cinnamon/chocolate mixture. Very yummy!My own hunky guy opined: that bread is something special!!Cheers, ros in Ottawa

Hmmm. You might try smoothing down the batter when you put it in the pan. And be sure not to overmix the dough - just gently stir in the beer until everything is combined. That said, if you look at the bottom photo, you can see that my loaves are usually split along the top and are usually taller in the middle too.

I made this tonight with gluten-free beer (Dogfish Head Tweason-ale) and gluten-free baking mix. It didn't rise as much compared to when I make it with wheat flour, but it's better than many gluten-free breads I've tried.

Hi Susan, I sure hope you read this and tell me what you think of my grandmother's idea.

My grandmother made beer batter bread years ago, and here's the fun thing she did with it. She saved coffee cans and cooked the beer bread in them. When the bread was cooked, she would use a can opener on the bottom and push out the round beer bread and slice it and serve it. It was so awesome cooked in a coffee can, or you could use any sized can you could use a can opener on the bottom. They are great at Christmas as gifts too!

Hi Sharon,That does sound like fun! I've seen recipes before that called for using a coffee can for baking, though I've never tried it. I think they were for Boston brown bread or something like that. I bet the crust on the beer bread comes out great on the sides in the can. Love the gift idea!

My husband absolutely loved this bread. I made the mixture with the rosemary, oregano, thyme and garlic. It tasted like the bread you get at the Macaroni bread. My bread was a tad heavy, so I'm guessing I will need to get some fresh baking powder and try it out again. Thanks for sharing!

Beer Bread has become my "go-to" quick homemake gift to take to someone. And i loved discovering your enhancement options!! thanks for sharing this and I look forward to checking out more of your good blog info.

I've used your recipe several times, and have just put a loaf in the oven. We're iced in here down South, and I'm going to make leftover pot roast sandwiches with this bread. Thank you so much for this recipe. Well, all of your recipes, actually (esp. the swiss chard tuna salad, always with kidney beans for me, yum-o!).

January 2013 update: I know word verification is a big pain, but it's the only way I can stop the ridiculous number of anonymous spam comments I get every day. I don't want to require commenters to be registered Blogger or Open ID users because I know many of you aren't. Thanks so much for your understanding!

Hi! Thanks for visiting Farmgirl Fare and taking the time to write. While I'm not always able to reply to every comment, I receive and enjoy reading them all.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and I especially love hearing about your experiences with my recipes. Comments on older posts are always welcome!

Please note that I moderate comments, so if I'm away from the computer it may be a while before yours appears.

I try my best to answer all questions, though sometimes it takes me a few days. And sometimes, I'm sorry to say, they fall through the cracks, and for that I sincerely apologize.

If you're waiting for a reply to your comment and have a Blogger profile (it's free to create one) you can check the NOTIFY ME box that is below and receive all follow up comments to just this specific post via email.

I look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy your e-visits to our farm!